Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Billie Lynn Allard, MS, RN, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) administrative director of Population Health and Transitions of Care, will receive one of the nursing profession’s highest honors when she is inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) at the Academy’s annual policy conference in Washington, D.C., in October. The AAN is composed of 2,400 of the nation’s top nurse researchers, policy makers, scholars, executives, educators, and practitioners from across the country.

“I am honored to be recognized by my professional nursing colleagues for work developing transitional care and population health programs at SVMC,” Allard said. “I look forward to making continuing contributions to improve health care outcomes for our communities.”

Vermont Business Magazine Monday evening, Governor Phil Scott signed into law the abortion rights bill, as well as several other pieces of legislation passed by the Legislature. But he vetoed the 24-hour gun purchase waiting period bill, S169. The governor had signed gun measures last year and said then and since that he did not envision the need for further gun safety measures. The governor had to act by the end of Monday or the gun bill would have become law without his signature. The Legislature did not schedule a veto session and thus will not have the opportunity to override this or any other veto action taken by Scott until it reconvenes next January.

Vermont Business Magazine Paul Schulick shifted the paradigm on dietary supplements with New Chapter, leveraging his platform to inspire change throughout the industry that all started with New Chapter’s whole food probiotic nutrients integrated with holistic herbal extracts. His commitment to organic and non-GMO certifications blazed a trail for others to follow.

by Mary Hayden As Americans, we believe in justice for all. Yet we fail to live up to this promise when we allow older members of our society to be abused or neglected. Older people are vital, contributing members of American society and their maltreatment diminishes all of us. Just as we have confronted and addressed the social issues of child abuse and domestic violence, so too can we find solutions to address issues like elder abuse, which also threatens the well-being of our community.

Vermont Business Magazine In an effort to improve access to effective mental health treatment, a challenge across Vermont and nationally, Gifford Health Care has partnered with Alpine Telehealth to bring psychiatric services to Emergency Department patients via video conferencing. Per the partnership agreement, telepsychiatry services are available at the Gifford ED and hospital inpatient departments 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Services are provided using video chat on a web-based platform that is fully secure, encrypted, and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA)-compliant.

Vermont Business Magazine Licensed Acupuncturists, Jonathan Fleming and Kerry Boyle from Integrative Acupuncture in Montpelier attended a legislative advocacy event in Washington D.C., June 1-3 to gain support to mandate acupuncture access for all veterans and military personnel. Over 300 acupuncturists from across the country descended on Capitol Hill to ask their state representatives to support HR 1182- Acupuncture For Heros Act, which mandates veterans and military can access this non pharmacological approach to pain management.

Vermont Business Magazine The VNA & Hospice of the Southwest Region (VNAHSR) has been recognized with an award from the New England Society for Healthcare Communications (NESHCo) to honor achievements in healthcare marketing, public relations and communications. VNAHSR won an Award of Excellence for the Outpatient Therapy Promotional Campaign in the print advertising category. This is the second year that the home health and hospice agency has been recognized for their work.

Vermont Business Magazine John Turner Consulting, Inc, which previously acquired Willis Consulting Engineers, a professional geotechnical engineering firm based in Woodstock, and with its own organic growth, has announced it is consolidating its West Hartford, Vermont, office and the Willis Consulting office to one location in Hartland. Turner said this will allow it to conveniently serve our clients in the Upper Valley, western New Hampshire, and southern Vermont regions. The Hartland office will offer materials testing including full laboratory capabilities, special inspections, geotechnical engineering, and environmental consulting services to all these areas.

New address: 5 Legion Drive, PO Box 16, Hartland, VT 05048
Phone number: 802-295-1100

Vermont Projects

Vermont Business Magazine At a meeting on May 10, the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board awarded $6,656,970 in VHCB funding, Housing Revenue Bond funds, and federal funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for the construction or rehabilitation of 72 affordable homes and to conserve 5,650 acres of natural areas and public recreational lands and 617 acres of farmland.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott, public officials, business owners and guests participated in a June 5^th Ribbon-Cutting ceremony at 296 Beanville Road in Randolph with LEDdynamics (LED) and Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation, in a sparkling new $5 million, 28,000-square-foot office, engineering and production facility.

Vermont Business Magazine Sergeant Willard Magoon, 25, a soldier with the Vermont Army National Guard, passed away Sunday at Ochsners Medical Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, with his family at his side. Sergeant Magoon died of cardiac complications. Magoon was an allied trade specialist (machinist supervisor) assigned to B Company, 186th Brigade Support Battalion, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (MTN).

“This all happened so fast, we are still in shock,” said Captain Lindsey Pigeon, commander, B Company, 186th BSB. “My heart goes out to the family. It’s been a hard couple of weeks for everyone involved, and now it’s important for all of us to come together to help in any way we can.”

“We are shocked, and deeply saddened, by the death of Sergeant Magoon,” said Brigadier General Gregory Knight, Adjutant General, Vermont National Guard. “We are here for his family, and will offer them all the support we can during this trying time.”

Vermont Business Magazine The TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, recently donated $25,000 to the Greater Burlington YMCA as part of the foundation’s commitment to giving back to the community. This year marks the fourth in which the TD Charitable Foundation has made such a generous contribution, bringing their total philanthropy to $100,000 during this period.